Weather tracker: Record snowfall in eastern Russia leaves people stranded

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Lauren Herdman and James Michelin for MetDeskJanuary 23, 2026 at 11:46 AM

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A record-breaking snowfall event occurred in eastern Russia's Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky town on January 12-15, with over 1.8 meters of lying snow reported in some areas. Strong Pacific low pressures brought moist air from the tropics northwards, colliding with cold Arctic air to cause extreme drifting and heavy snowfall rates of 2-5cm per hour. The event was exacerbated by strong winds, causing cars to become buried in snowdrifts and residents to dig tunnels to access their vehicles. In contrast, a slow-moving storm system in the Mediterranean caused historic rainfall totals in north-east Tunisia, with Sayada recording 242mm of rain, roughly five times the average for January. The downpours led to flash flooding, deaths, and disruptions to emergency services, schools, and courts in affected regions.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

California 40% Mediterranean 40% Moknine 50% Arctic 50% Tunis 50% Pacific Ocean 60% Sayada ×260% Tunisia 70% Storm Harry ×270% Russia 80% Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 90% Kamchatka Peninsula ×295%

Keywords

record snowfall 90% extreme weather 80% atmospheric river 70% heavy rainfall 70% flash flooding 60% weather event 50% tropical air 50% storm harry 40% stranded 40%